...how hard is it to change them? Do I need any special tools/ life insurance?

 

Have you ever done any brake work before hand?

You will need the rear caliper piston retracting tool.
It apply both pressure and rotates the piston into the reset position.

Hand tools, sockets, and the like is all you need to get you through the process.
Other than that, a brake pressure bleeder tool is recommended, but not required.

- Erik

 

Pretty easy job...
But doing it wrong can cost big $$.
Be sure to bleed to old crappy fliud out of the calipers...just pushing the pistons in, and leaving the dirty, moist fluid can cause issues...
be sure to measure or in most cases change the rotors....they are too thin to really machine....

 

If your car is a little older, chances are the set screws in the rotors are going to be a PITA for you to get out. I would recommend putting the car up on jack stands and hitting them with PB Blaster every 15 minutes or so for a few hours, then heat them up a ton before even trying to get them to come out.

Other than that, it's pretty darn easy. No more difficult than brakes on any other car.

 

Tool from harbor freight is like $40-50 and totally easy and awesome.

Don't forget the brake sensor wires and be sure to check the piston boots. Mine was torn, the piston seized, and I had to special order a caliper since I couldn't find a rebuild kit ($130+$100 core). Oh, and dot4 fluid.

But easy after you figure out where to put the jack so that you can put it on jack stands when it's off the ground...

 

+1 on the HF piston tool. I strongly prefer quality hand tools, but for the once every 3 or 4 years I need it, the HF tool is fine, and WAY better than trying to rig something, the way I did for years.

Life insurance is the biggest scam going - if you need it you won't be around to collect...